


Damage Control

by claroso



Category: The Wayhaven Chronicles (Interactive Fiction)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-12 15:22:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28512600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/claroso/pseuds/claroso
Summary: "Adam, let go of me."He frowned and dropped his hand, uncertainty written across his face."This has to stop." She gestured between them. "The hot and cold, I'm done with it."Catherine does her own damage control. (Based on the post-bakery scene in the book 3 demo)
Relationships: Detective/Adam du Mortain, Female Detective/Adam du Mortain
Comments: 6
Kudos: 23





	Damage Control

**Author's Note:**

> All comments or criticisms welcome!

"I can't let that happen again." Adam met her eyes, the meaning in those words not needing to be spoken aloud.

As the silent moment stretched between them, the clock tower chimed.

"You should get to work, and I've been gone from the others too long." He stands, his hands clasped behind his back.

Pushing past the disappointment welling up in her chest, Catherine packed away the remnants of breakfast. She pushed herself up from the bench and stepped up to him, her hands hidden in her jacket. When she did, she could see the stoic mask piecing itself back together across his features, as he stood as stiff as a statue.

She sighed and told him what her therapist told her so often, what she wished she heard ten years earlier.

"Emotions make us who we are. You shouldn't be afraid of that." She said, holding his gaze.

"Emotion causes vulnerability. They cause more harm than good." He countered, but without any real strength to his voice. Instead it's soft, almost...weak.

"Denial is an emotion too, Adam. So is regret." She smiled, a bit sadly. "No one can avoid emotions, so we might as well enjoy the good ones while we have them."

Adam was silent.

Turning, she made to move toward the police station. Suddenly, a warm hand gripped her wrist, halting her path away.

She took a deep breath before turning back to face the tempting depth of those green eyes.

He remained silent, just looking at her, his gaze indecipherable. She could wait--she wanted to wait for him to speak. She'd wait for years for any scrap of affection and be grateful, she knew she would, she'd done it before.

She closed her eyes. _I deserve more than this._

Forcing her spine straight, Catherine opened her eyes and met his gaze.

"Adam, let go of me."

He frowned and dropped his hand, uncertainty written across his face.

"This has to stop." She gestured between them. "The hot and cold, I'm done with it."

"What are you talking about?"

She almost laughed. Of course he'd try to deny it, she wasn't even surprised. It'd certainly make it, and her, easier to ignore.

"I like you, Adam!" She exclaimed. Adam's eyes went wide and he took a half-step back.

"A lot. More than...more than I should, for only knowing you for a couple months." Her cheeks burned as she looked down at her feet. She swallowed past the sudden lump in her throat and continued.

"I haven't exactly been subtle...but life's too short not to say it out loud." She shrugged uselessly. "I think we'd be good together."

Adam clenched his jaw and avoided her gaze.

"But you don't. That's fine." She ignored the way her voice cracked over the last word.

"I'm not going to chase after you or force you into something, okay?" Catherine pushed on, needing to make her point before she started crying. "But I can't deal with the mixed signals anymore--the touching, the concern, making me think we're going somewhere, just to turn around and ignore me. It's not healthy. For either of us."

"I can't be concerned about you?" He asked.

Of course that's what he focused on. Anger boiled up at the base of her throat, drowning the sadness for now.

"I didn't say that," she said through gritted teeth, "but you need to start acting like we're coworkers instead."

"If you're implying I've been anything less than professional, I--"

"You're so full of shit, Adam!" She cut him off with a growl. "You are a grown ass man, you know exactly how you've been acting!"

Snapping her jacket shut, she turned away. "Look, I have to go. Keep me in the loop about the kidnapping."

She strode away without looking back. She was tired of this, the denial, the faked ignorance. Even after admitting her feelings and giving him an out, he still refused to be an adult about this. Fine. She wasn't going to talk him through his feelings.

She held her anger firmly in her chest, letting it quicken her pace. She could be sad later, when she didn't have a full shift ahead of her


End file.
